Immunology
by Writing in SIN
Summary: Unlike all the other Bugsters, Parad has actual fangs— a fact that Emu likes very, VERY much.
1. Prologue

I'm on a ParaEmu/EmuPara agenda and I'm taking y'all down with me XD

Anyways, this is just me indulging in my headcanon that Parad actually has fangs and what that means for him and Emu. If anyone wants to see more of this, then **please** tell me!

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**Timeline**: Two years post-canon

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**BREATHLESS**

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The first thing Emu noticed about Parad when they first met (reunited?), was his grin. The bugster had this perpetual impish grin with prominent canines on his face that it always brought a shiver down Emu's spine.

And it wasn't out of fear either. Not that first time.

There was something about the bugster that Emu couldn't place but the sight of Parad and his cheshire grin brought a thrill of excitement through him that Emu only felt before a challenging game. It wasn't until much later that shiver was a response out of fear for the harm Parad brought in his wake. Nevertheless, because Parad had no sense of personal space when it comes to Emu (not that he minds since he's much the same with Parad), Emu became aware early on that whenever Parad whispered threats to his ear, Emu always felt his sharp canines grazing him.

It used to bring a lot of confusing reactions for him whenever that happened. Although, thinking back, that's probably why Parad did it so many times— the jerk.

It got him curious though, since as far as he could see, none of the other Bugsters with humanoid forms had too sharp canines. Not even Graphite, and he was a _dragon_ Bugster. While it's not an important thing to worry about, that part of Parad's feature is always at the back of his mind and sometimes when he lets his mind wander, Emu would ponder if those canines are just simply a trait or something more?

It's not until two years after Cronus' defeat that Emu got his answer.

As days turned to weeks turned to months and finally into years, Emu found himself steadily in love with Parad. It should surprise him. Emu has always been more focused on his career as a doctor and if talked about romance, he's only has eyes for cute women (like Poppy). Then again...Parad has always been the only exception to everything in his life so, Emu supposed that it's only a matter of time for him to find himself in love with Parad, especially since the bond he shares with Parad goes beyond his very identity after all.

Still, when he found out that he's in love with his partner and best friend, Emu ended up collapsing onto his back on top of the hospital's roof and screamed into his hands— hoping beyond hope that he won't mess things up.

It took a lot of pep talk from both Poppy and Kiriya but eventually, Emu managed to gather enough courage to sit Parad down at their living room and finally confessed his feelings to the bugster.

For a long moment, Parad looks at him in shock before it gives way to bright, open hope. It's a sight that's both excruciating and wonderful to see. "You love me?"

"Yes." Emu gives his bugster a bashful smile. "I've always loved you of course, it's just...now I can honestly say that I love you in every way there is to love a person."

Unexpectedly, Parad stands up from the couch until he's in the middle of the room. The bugster shuffles his feet nervously, a canine catching his bottom lip as Parad stares at him. "And you're okay with that? Despite all the horrible things I've done?"

"I told you once, didn't I?" Emu stands and walks over until they're only a foot away. He reaches out to cradle the side of Parad's face. "That I love you _because_ of all the things that happened between us; not in spite of it.

Parad steps closer, leaning into his touch. "Emu..."

"Being in love with you hasn't changed that. Never will too," Emu promises, smiling softly.

Parad leans down to rest his forehead against Emu's, breathing out a shuddering sigh. "I still don't think I deserve you."

He opens his mouth to protest at that— because there is _no way_ that's true.

"But." Parad places a finger against his lips, eyes bright with love and adoration. "Someday, I will be. And well, I'm selfish, y'know? I love you _and_ so stupidly in love with you, that there's no way in hell that I'm gonna let anything or anyone stop me from making sure that you won't regret loving me."

Laughing, he nips at Parad's finger and feels his shoulders relaxing out of relief. "Trust me, I'm never going to regret loving you, Parad."

"Guess that makes me one lucky bastard, huh?" Expression turning serious, Parad gives him an unwavering look. "It's the same for me too. I'll never regret loving you, Emu."

"Guess that makes me just as lucky," he murmurs happily, arms twining around Parad's neck. "Ne, Parad?"

Winding his arms around Emu's waist, Parad grins down at him. "Yeah, Emu?"

"May I kiss you?" Emu asks, bumping their noses together.

Parad lights up. "Only if I get to kiss you _back_."

"Of course," he says with a chuckle.

Like everything else between them, they meet each other halfway. And then for the next few moments it's nothing but warmth and desire and the slick slide of tongues, until something very sharp pricks his bottom lip.

"Ow!" Emu pulls back, hand to his mouth as he tastes blood. He stares at Parad who, although flushed a healthy glow with lips swollen and pupils blown, nevertheless looks horrified.

"I'm sorry!" A hand slapping over his own mouth, Parad hovers over him in worry. "I didn't mean to!"

Licking at his lip, Emu tries to smile at the increasingly distressed bugster. "It's alright, Parad. What was that though?"

"Ah." Parad curls into himself, eyes darting away with a flush. "I got um, excited with the kiss, so my fangs came out."

"...you have fangs?"

Blinking at him, Parad nods slowly. "Uh, yeah. I thought you knew?"

"I knew that your canines are sharper than most but I didn't know it's because you have _fangs_." A wide grin takes over his face, staring at Parad in awe. "That is so _cool_."

Chuckling, the bugster pulls his hand away from his mouth to give Emu a fanged smirk. "Thanks."

"Is it something all Bugsters have?" Emu asks, stepping closer to cup Parad's jaw and brushes a thumb against his bottom lip.

"Nope, just me." Parad nuzzles into his hand, curly bangs sweeping over his eyes and wow, Emu is in love with such a gorgeous creature. "Since I'm the Progenitor, I have features and abilities that other Bugsters don't have."

Emu hums. "And the fangs?"

"Infection or eating," Parad says with a shrug.

His brows furrow at that. "Infection?"

"Ah...now that I think about it, the only time I used my fangs around you, you were out of it," Parad mutters thoughtfully.

"Out of...oh!" It's faint, but Emu thinks he recalls an odd sensation on his neck before he passed out when his game disease broke out. "Do you mean when you saved me after Kuroto-san revealed that I'm Patient Zero?"

"Yup." Expression twisting in disgust, Parad scoffs with a glare to the side. "Still pissed at him for that."

"Same," he grumbles out. Even after all these years, Dan Kuroto still can't grasp the weight of a life. Sighing, he tilts his head as a thought hits him. "Does that mean you bit me when you first infected me when I was a kid?"

Parad nods. "Yeah, don't you remember? You thought a neighbourhood cat bit your finger."

"Well, considering how cat-like you can be, it wasn't too far off the mark," he muses, laughing when Parad bleps at him in response. "Then what about eating? Because I've never seen you use your fangs when you eat before."

"Not with food, no." Shifting, his partner pulls out his console from a coat pocket and bites down on the device. The action causes sparks to dance around the device before Parad pulls back to lick his lips. "Electricity."

Emu gapes, fascinated at the traces of electricity he can see at the edge of a fang. "Is that why you don't need to eat as much as other Bugsters?"

"You could say that," Parad says with a snicker before he sobers in remorse, reaching out to gently run his thumb against Emu's bloodied lip. "I really _am_ sorry, Emu."

"It's fine," he reassures, raising his hands up with a smile when Parad looks at him in disbelief. "Honest."

Huffing, the bugster pouts. "Still, I'll try to be more careful and—"

"No need for that." Emu cradles Parad's face, leaning in to press a kiss on that fanged mouth. "I like your fangs, Parad." Swiping his tongue over a fang, he grins at Parad's sharp inhale. "_A lot._"

"Oh, yeah?" Parad breathes out, smirking as his head tilts coyly to the side. "How much?"

He swoops in for another kiss in answer. "Very." A lick to the seam of that impish mouth. "Very." An opened mouth kiss with his tongue curling over a fang, Emu glances up at the dazed looking bugster under his lashes with a grin. "_Much._"

A hitch of a breath, and Parad catches him off guard when he pounces and closes the distance between them to surge in for the kiss. Stumbling, they fall onto the couch and he wraps his arms around Parad's neck, fingers running through soft curls as he hungrily draws the bugster closer to him so that his hips are flush against his own and licks into Parad's mouth, tasting something sweet and spicy under his tongue. Faintly, he can hear rumbling growls when he runs his tongue over one of Parad's fangs before Emu does it over and over again to coax more of that alluring sound.

When they draw back, it's only so they can trade several light, soft kisses across each other's mouths before pulling away; breathless.

Blinking open his eyes, Emu finds Parad smiling down at him, tender and warm with affection as he murmurs against his mouth. "Looks like I've got a third reason to use my fangs now."

"Oh, I don't know." Trailing his fingers across Parad's jaw, he tilts his head to the side and offers his neck with a tentative if suggestive grin. "Maybe it's actually all three into one?"

The heat that flares through the bond is like a supernova and he gasps, breathless and stares up into the dark, dark eyes of his beloved bugster.

Giving a throaty laugh, Parad leans down to nip at Emu's bottom lip with a smirk; fang sharp enough to sting but not enough to cause any bleeding. "And people say that _I'm_ dangerous."

"Oh, you definitely are." Tangling their legs together, Emu grinds down and smirks at the choked growl Parad lets out. "But I would really like a reminder, if you don't mind?"

He feels Parad slipping his hand under his shirt to slide it across his stomach with an answering smirk. "Not at all, but just so you know? I'm gonna devour you _whole_, Emu."

That impish fanged smirk brings a shudder down his spine and this time? It's for all the right and pleasurable reasons.

"Please, _please_ do."


	2. Amourous

Emu drifts out of sleep and into the increasingly familiar feeling of warmth and safety, cocooned lovingly in Parad's embrace as mischievous lips leave a trail of soft kisses against the back of his neck. Smiling, he can feel the bond thrumming as Parad moves behind him and sighs in content when hands and long fingers slide sensually across his body.

Knowing that he's awake now, those lips quirk up into a smirk against his skin. "Morinin', Emu."

"G'morning, Parad." Emu turns his head until he can catch Parad's lips for the first kiss of the day. "Love you."

Brushing away his bangs, Parad bumps their noses together with an adoring smile. "Love you too."

It's become something special for them; to have words of love be the first and last thing they say to each other every day. Lazy contentment suffuses him as the last vestiges of sleep floats to him across their bond; a warm, pleasant sensation not unlike being under a kotatsu.

He turns, sinking into his partner's embrace. Parad welcomes the kiss, warm fingers curling in Emu's hair as they taste each other, a slow, steady exploration of tongues and lips and teeth. Everything inside him seeming to loosen and melt as he wraps himself up in his lover's familiar, electrifying scent.

He'll never get tired of waking up like this.

They pull back after a moment, both of them flushed. The comfortable warmth in the bond has steadily shifted into something hotter; burning with desire and intense heat. And it's only building as they continue to breathe in the space between them.

"Let's play, Emu," Parad purrs into his ear, arms a steel band around his waist before the bugster moves to hover above him.

And oh, it's that voice. The _voice_ Parad never uses for anything or anyone else; the secret tone that's just for _Emu_ and Emu alone.

They're in their pyjamas and lying in their bed on a Sunday morning; just woken up with no plans for the whole day.

Well, until now that is.

Emu huffs a breath, helpless and so turned on because of the morning and the very sexy, very dangerous bugster draping over him. Shifting until he's lying on his back, Emu runs his fingers through sleep-soft curls as the corner of his mouth ticks up into a coy smile. "And what shall we play today, Parad?"

Parad smirks and kisses him in answer.

Sighing contentedly into the kiss, Emu smiles as Parad's tongue licks its way inside his mouth and his teeth are gently nipping at Emu's lower lip and oh, _yes, yes._

Okay, so the thing is, they haven't gone all the way yet. Certainly not because they don't want to but it's more like they're taking their sweet time exploring and discovering each other's bodies— to know every little thing that makes them fall apart by the seams. It's become a game between them. Each touch, each caress, each kiss— just to see which one that'll make the other moan and gasp and whimper and _scream_.

In the weeks of their sweet torture of a foreplay, Emu can safely say that he knows all the ways that he can make Parad simultaneously melt and lose control. For example...

A growl rumbles between their flushed chests when Emu curls his tongue over an elongated fang; a sound that makes him smirk into the kiss.

As always, teasing Parad's fangs is a sure fire way to drive the bugster wild.

When they break apart for air, they stare at one another and breathe in each other's air. Staring up at the love of his life, Emu can tell that even without saying anything, both he and Parad agree that they've extended their foreplay for long enough.

It's time to play at the final level.

Cradling Parad's face in his hands, he brings their lips together in a kiss; a simple press that contrasts their previous intensity and smiles at the happy breathless laugh bubbling out of the bugster.

"Let's play," he murmurs against fanged lips. "Let's make love, Parad."

Humming, his partner nuzzles their faces together with warm, playful eyes as he grins. "Let's."

With a snap of his fingers, Parad vanishes their clothes to leave them both naked on the bed and Emu has to laugh because of how convenient that is.

Parad grins in response before he swoops down to kiss him again, deep, one of those kisses that steals one's breath in the way Emu has learned ever since they began their relationship that it's something only Emu gets to know. A fact he likes _very_ much. Because of their lifestyles, neither of them had indulged in sex; never had the time or even the interest. Kinda funny when he thinks on how they're going to be each other's first but at the same time, not a surprising thing either considering who and what they are to one another. Maybe they're years late; especially since Emu is already in his mid 20's but then, who cares? If he wants to give himself, it'll be by his own choice and time.

And as he discovered, the one he wants is Parad. Always.

Eyes closed, he kisses back and feels Parad's hand sliding from his cheek to his hair for purchase and Emu hisses, which makes Parad tightens his grip and pleasure shoots through Emu with the spike of pain and it's like a flame between them as the bond flares gold. When they break apart slightly, he feels a thrill up his spine at the sight of kiss swollen lips pulling up into a fanged smirk. Emu has to blink a few times as the edges of his vision bleeds and knows from the red rimming around Parad's pupils that soon they'll completely merge in every way. The thought of that is vertigo-inducing, gut-clenchingly intense.

"Want you…" he slurs into Parad's mouth, burying his hands into soft curls and tugs them in a way he knows that'll make Parad groan obscenely. "Want you inside me in every way…" The hand in his hair clenches hard again and Emu's breath stutters as he stares up at the dark, hungry eyes of his beloved bugster. "Make love to me, Parad...take me. Devour me. _Everything_."

The bond flares white hot and Emu feels tears streaming down his face at the onslaught of emotions wrapping around him; cradling him close with love and desire and _home_.

"Mine," he chokes out, blinking away the tears and reaches up with trembling hands to wipe away the tears that are spilling from Parad's eyes as the bugster weeps as well. "My Parad— _mine_."

"Yours," Parad agrees, caging Emu's head and presses a kiss to his forehead. "Always yours, Emu. The one to make my heart dance is you and only you."

Emu gasps when one of Parad's hand slides up to tangle in the hair at the nape of his neck and tugs, baring his throat. Oh, yes. _Yes, yes, yes!_

Fangs glinting in the dim morning light, Parad grins down at him as his tongue darts out to lick his lips. "And you, my Emu are _mine_."

"Yours," he agrees breathlessly and that's all the permission Parad needs as he dives down and sinks his fangs into him.

He screams; loud and unrestrained without an ounce of fear in anyone hearing him.

Why would he, when the apartment is completely soundproof after Parad moved in with him? After too much hollering and cursing from their game competitions, it was the only logical choice to create a soundproof program to surround the apartment.

Now, as they lay tangled in each other, they've just added one more reason for it.

Emu moans and whimpers as he feels the hot, wet suction on the exposed skin and a fever-hot caress as Parad's other hand slides down between his pecs and towards his stomach before fondling him and bringing Emu to full weeping arousal. Eyes fluttering, he rakes his nails down against Parad's back and smirks in satisfaction at the gasp his bugster lets out.

His back arches when Parad retaliates by draining slow erotic sips of blood from his veins. Emu's lungs stutter and he turns his head fully to the side, exposing more of his neck, silently pleading for more. His heels scrabbles slightly on the sheets and he parts his legs a little more as he hooks his ankles behind Parad's back. Emu whines when Parad briefly pulls away then moans when the bugster slots their mouths together and kissing Emu again with both hands on either side of his face, intent and deep and dizzying.

Emu knows the bitter taste of blood from too many battles as Ex-Aid but ever since Parad began feeding from him, Emu finds that his blood tastes different when it's shared between him and Parad; a likely effect of his antibody responding to Parad's antigen. Emu can't say it tastes good but it certainly doesn't taste _bad_ either. It makes him wonder sometimes if Parad's blood would taste delicious in his mouth as Emu's seems to be for Parad.

A hunger that isn't his bleed through their skins and Emu moans into Parad's mouth, feels his nerves light up as the hot throb of want liquefies his spine and trickles down his groin.

"That's... cheating, you jerk," he rasps, batting Parad's hands away even as another wave of heat from the bond makes him shudder. Emu locks a leg around Parad's and tugs at the bugster's shoulder to flip them over and now Emu is on top and Parad is sprawled on the bed.

Parad cackles, dark curls fanning against the sheets as that fanged mouth pulls up into a coy smirk. "No, it's called _strategy_."

"Well then," he breathes, palms cradling Parad's cheeks while his thumbs caresses the underside of his partner's jaw; causing Parad to sigh as his mouth falls opened to expose his fangs. "Here's _mine_."

Emu licks the long column of Parad's neck and grounds their hips together before he reaches down to return the favour; gripping and stroking Parad's length until it hardens. He listens as Parad lets out a deep purring rumble in his chest; writhing under him as he wraps those long legs around Emu's hips.

He always liked that Parad is taller than him; more so in how their bodies always seemed to fit together like the puzzle pieces Parad is so fond of. They're both athletic from all the fights and sparring they get into and despite they're both quite lithe, they have slightly different builds. Emu has always been leaner, all sinew and slender lines whereas Parad is more broad shouldered with well-defined muscles. Emu takes his time to map out those differences; to taste the pale ridge of Parad's sharp hipbone, up the perfectly toned expanse of Parad's stomach, over his sternum right in the middle of his chest, leaving a trail of saliva in his wake. He then spreads his lover's thighs and dips his head to lavish heated attention on the bugster's throbbing length with lips, teeth and tongue before swallowing Parad whole.

Above him, Parad howls as he thrust his hips up into his mouth. Smirking, Emu bobs his head hungrily as he listens to Parad writhing in pleasure and gasping out his name. "Emu..._Emu!_"

When he moans around his mouthful and pushes down deeper until it hits the back of his throat, Parad buries his fingers in Emu's hair and pulls him away. The bugster then drags him up for a kiss before he's suddenly under Parad again, looking up and panting a little harder.

Equally breathless, Parad grabs his wrists and pins them by his head before leaning over him to kiss him again with a single minded intensity, fangs grazing him in ways that make Emu whimper. Pulling back, Parad lets go of his wrists, but holds him immobile with his telekinetic pixels instead, grinning with playful adoration and mischief. Emu ineffectually twists his arms and shoulders against Parad's gentle but inescapable invisible grip, his heart racing with arousal as Parad takes advantage of his fangs to kiss and bite his way down Emu's chest and quivering stomach before wrapping those sinful lips around his length, swirling his tongue against Emu's tip, fangs brushing along the top and bottom of the shaft before he sucks on it firmly then swallows; slowly and deliberately.

Emu's stomach tightens as his toes curl. "_Parad!_"

When he feels like he'd tip over the edge, Parad releases him before curling long fingers around his hips. Licking his lips, Parad rises to hover over him and tilts his head to the side; quick and feline-like. "Considering it's us, we can do it bare, right?"

"Yeah," he murmurs, feeling Parad relinquishing his grip on his wrists. Emu raises a hand to slides his palm up to Parad's chest. "My antibody and your antigen keep us safe and clean. More so together."

Parad snickers, catching his wandering hand to bring it up to his mouth and kisses Emu's palm. "Kinda brings a whole new meaning to infection, huh?"

"Or immunology," he adds with a chuckle. "Either way, we're safe."

Parad rakes his hands down the sides of Emu's torso, growling softly at the back of his throat in obvious approval. "Good, 'cause I want us to _feel_ each other."

"Me too," he rasps out before letting out a drawn out moan when Parad wraps his fingers around his length and pumps. "Want to feel you...so, so much."

"Anything you want, Emu," Parad murmurs against his neck, fangs brushing against his skin. He then feels Parad draw his hand back down until his fingertips are between Emu's legs and he spreads his thighs in anticipation.

From all their foreplay, they found out that because their bodies are literal puzzle pieces to each other, they don't need to be prepped. Even so, Emu thinks that even though it's not necessary, they certainly enjoy it— especially as Parad's fingers feels impossibly hot even from his insides; sliding in and out of him to stretch him wide opened.

Emu likes how it makes him writhe and moan and mewl under Parad; likes to see how his reactions makes Parad wilder as the bugster comes undone. Gasping, he arches his back and clenches down; pushing deeper and asking for more. Much, much more.

Because even though those long, clever fingers are all the way in, past the knuckles and making Emu feel so full— it still isn't _enough_.

And Parad hears him.

"Love you, Emu," Parad whispers into his ear, nuzzling the side of his face. "Love you so, so much."

The bond pulses in question; asking permission because it's _them_. Going all the way for the final level means complete vulnerability and exposure— to bare everything to each other when they return to the singularity of their being.

"I love you too, Parad," he whispers back, arms around Parad's shoulders before he shifts to expose his neck. "So very much."

Parad pulls back to look at him, their noses brushing and his pupils are so dilated and dark; echoing the bugster's more dangerous nature. He closes his eyes for a moment, a dark fan of eyelashes over his cheeks that causes Emu's stomach to clench in fierce vindication. It's a side of Parad that Emu refuses to let anyone else see.

_**Mine**_.

Eyes snapping opened, Parad grins at him; wide and feral.

_**Yours**_.

Parad's hand slips out of Emu and a whine comes from the back of his throat; feeling abruptly empty and hollow and unfulfilled before the floodgates of their bond bursts opened and Emu sucks in a sharp breath.

"_Parad_."

His vision blurs for a few moments and he gives a full-body shudder, toes curling and jaw clenching in a desperate effort not to come from the overwhelming psychic stimuli. Their thoughts and feelings ricochet between them, wrapped up in warmth and lust and desire and so much love.

"_Emu_."

And that's all the warning he gets before his hips are branded by long fingers as Parad thrusts completely into him; pushing until their hips are flushed together at the same time as those fangs sink into his neck.

Emu _screams_— loud and obscene as he lets his lover in; taking Parad all the way to the hilt. The fullness, the sense of completion is such a relief, taking all of Parad inside himself where he _belongs_, and Emu moans, wriggling against Parad and trying to take him even deeper.

Parad's breath hisses out at that, fingers tightening around Emu's waist and no doubt leaving bruises on his skin.

It should be painful because Parad is quite large but considering they're meant to fit together, Emu can only feel bone deep relief and pleasure as he gasps raggedly and digs his nails into Parad's shoulders.

_Finally, finally, finally._

The bond spirals and crashes, pulling them under as it flares golden; a supernova that engulfs them as they return back into the singularity. There's blood in his mouth as Parad pulls away from his neck to kiss him, and then he starts to move, every thrust punching a high sound from Emu until he's moaning and screaming Parad's name; begging for more, deeper and faster.

"Parad...!" There's tears streaming down his face and he blinks them back to see that his vision has completely bled crimson. "Please, please, please!"

Parad lets out a low growl, fangs bared and such a gorgeous creature is making love to him, and he's all _Emu's_.

"Emu...!" Threading their fingers together, Parad shifts and thrusts back into him; hitting him in all the right places.

Their minds and emotions touch and slide against one another; their consciousness merging into one and setting every nerve in their bodies alight.

Dipping his head, Parad catches his mouth in a messy kiss and he kisses back; strongly, sweetly, trembling with pleasure as they move together, chests rising and falling, bodies rocking and pushing together intimately against the sheets.

Pixels dance across their skin but it's still not _enough_. Emu wants to sink into Parad as much Parad has always done with him. So he surges up until Parad sits back so that Emu can straddle his bugster, knees at either side of Parad's lap, trembling with desire and sweaty and clumsy but past self-consciousness at this point and Parad lifts him up bodily with that inhuman strength of his until Emu sinks down onto him.

Twining his arms around Parad's head, he slots their mouths together and for a long moment, it's a slick slide of tongues and teeth and fangs; biting and sucking and kissing until they're both breathless. Their fronts are flushed together; heart beating faithfully in unison as they simply breathe.

Two bodies. Two minds. Two hearts.

One soul.

With hands on his hips, they move as one and when they start to go faster and lost those last vestiges of control they pant into each other's mouths as the bond wraps around them.

Vision hazy, Emu blinks and finds that the crimson has since given away to cyan; contrasting against the fiery orange of Parad's eyes. _Oh_, they really are one now. This is them in their rawest form.

_You're me and I'm you, and we are—_

"Us," he and Parad whisper simultaneously as they smile against each other's lips.

Hands roam and thighs burn and then Parad's hips shoot up and hit Emu just right so that he'd cry out and Parad does it again, the exact same angle and with as much strength; again and again until Emu can feel it building inside them both.

"Love you, Parad," Emu gasps out as he takes Parad's face in his hands, kissing those impish, fanged lips with each thrust. "Love you so much. Love you. Love you. _Love you._"

Moaning happily into his mouth, Parad tilts his head and cradles his jaw, returning each kiss, each grind with his own. "Emu. Love you so much, Emu. So in love with you. So, _so much_."

There's no end and no beginning between them. This is where Emu belongs— with Parad. Always.

And a sob breaks past Emu's lips because he's _home_ with Parad right in front of him, in him, beside him and under him and over him and all around him because that is where he _belongs_.

Like all things between them, they come together and it's sheer, raw, unadulterated bliss; their release like a golden white supernova.

The sensation of hot liquid inside fills him to the brim and it makes Emu's toes curl because he is so amazingly _full_, and when he shifts, Emu shudders when he feels his own release coating their fronts and plastering them to each other.

It's never been like this before; both his and Parad's very beings a fusing whirl that Emu can no longer distinguish where he ends and Parad begins anymore. It's a wonderful feeling.

Emu comes down from the high slowly, bones quaking and blood sparking with leftover energy. He thinks he even sees pixels and electricity dancing above their sweat soaked skins and he breathes out a laugh at that.

At the sound of his laugh, Parad's eyes flutter opened and he tilts his face up towards Emu, jaw slacked and relaxed in a way that only Emu is allowed to see; lashes clumped together with sweat and splotches of color on his sharp cheekbones— blissed out, and gorgeous, and _Emu's_.

"Whoa," Parad rasps out, voice hoarse as he blinks up at him as if he's at a loss for words. Emu can't blame him, he's pretty much the same. The intensity of the bond has faded somewhat but that doesn't stop him from picking up the unshakable and undeniable rightness between them.

"Whoa," Emu agrees, nuzzling their faces together.

Parad chuckles, catching his bottom lip with his fangs as he presses a kiss against Emu's lips. "So _very_ whoa."

Emu grins at him and shifts a little, drawing his body's attention back to the place where they're still joined which causes Parad to smirk lazily up at him and holds Emu closer still.

"Stay?" Parad asks, serious and playful in equal measure.

Smiling, he leans forward to press a kiss against sweat matted curls and nestles down further; feeling deliciously sore and very, very full.

"No place I'd rather be."

For a long moment the two of them just stay as they are there in their sweat-soaked bed, just breathing and revelling in each other's presence as they exchange long, languid and satisfied kisses before Parad finally pulls back, smiling as he strokes a finger gently over Emu's cheek. "Love you, Emu," he whispers.

The bugster's eyes are bright, warm with love and contentment. And in the safety of Parad's embrace, where the promise of faith and love and home are his to hold, Emu smiles too and allows himself to bask in the blessed wonder of being so thoroughly, completely loved by another; no holds barred, no regrets.

"As I love you, Parad," Emu answers before he pulls Parad in for another kiss.


	3. Breathless

Parad has never thought much about his fangs beyond them being just being a part of him; like his hands, feet or any part of his body.

Until Emu that is.

Ever since he reunited with Emu, his feelings for his former host began to change in ways he didn't expect to a point when he realised one day that he loves Emu in every way possible there is to love someone. It terrified him initially; especially when his feelings for Emu stirred the raw desire within him to sink his fangs into the doctor and from then, Parad swore not to say anything about it. How could he, considering all the hurt and trouble he caused everyone— especially to Emu?

Doesn't help that his past sins also proved that Parad had no clue how to love Emu without hurting him.

So he stayed quiet.

Weeks, months, years passed until eventually one day, he found himself being confessed to by the love of his life. It's a bit embarrassing to say, but Parad had to reboot his brain to make sure that he wasn't dreaming or hallucinating at the time. He has a pretty wild imagination after all, so it wouldn't be out of the question if Emu's confession was nothing more than a fantasy his love lorn mind cooked up to ease the (not) unrequited love he has for his human partner.

But it was reality— a reality that he's blessed to have and to hold; knowing that not only Emu loves him but, he's also in love with him _back_.

Knowing that he's loved in every way possible there is for a person to be loved kinda makes him more confident in acting out in ways that Parad has only imagined himself doing— like taking advantage of his looks. Sure, he knows that he's attractive but its always been nothing more than a footnote in his mind. However, as his relationship with Emu grew, Parad has also grown to appreciate his looks when he knows that it can drive Emu up the wall. More so when his fangs are added into the equation.

Parad _really_ likes how he can make Emu a stuttering dork just by flashing him a fanged grin.

To know that Emu not only likes his fangs but to also being bitten by him is well...it's quite dizzying actually. Ironically, whenever he takes a bite out of Emu, Parad is left breathless just as much as Emu is.

And he really, _really_ likes that he's constantly left breathless when it comes to Emu.

Like right now as they relax on the couch after clearing the final level of Jet Combat and defeating the final boss.

As they cuddle, Parad finds himself sneaking glances at Emu. The doctor's dark hair is painted with the shifting hues of the television in front of them as the ends of his hair just brush the collar of his shirt. No matter how hard Parad tries, his eyes are constantly drawn to the smooth, sinuous curve of the paediatrican's throat and wondering what would happen if he'd sink his fangs into Emu and leaves the doctor bitten and marked for everyone to see.

No. Nope. Nononono.

As much he likes biting Emu, he shouldn't leave obvious marks on the doctor.

Hickeys and love bites are normal for humans but a mark made by a pair of fangs? Parad thinks it'll put Emu in quite a bit of a spot so he tries to heal those marks once he's done feeding or well...leaving Emu a moaning, writhing mess. Heh.

Besides, fang marks might seem a touch too possessive and he doesn't want anyone to misunderstand that Emu could ever be anyone's possession— even if there _are_ times that he can't control his fangs from being aroused at the thought of marking Emu up as his.

"You can bite, you know? I don't mind," Emu murmurs above him, amused.

It takes a moment for him to realise that he's nuzzling Emu's neck without noticing.

Son of a gun.

He's never been _this_ bad at restraining himself before.

Glancing up, he sees Emu smiling at him. Embarrassed at his lapse, his eyes flit away as Parad huffs out a helpless chuckle before his gaze slides back to meet Emu's. "You sure? I'm not hungry for energy or anything." Parad tilts his head in thought. "And we've already showered after three rounds of _very_ enthusiastic sex so I'm not trying to start anything."

Although...he wouldn't object to another round or two.

"Honestly, I don't mind if you _do_ wanna start something," Emu says with a chuckle, echoing his thoughts as fingers run through Parad's curls. "But you don't need either of those two reasons just to bite me."

Parad blinks. "I can bite you just because?"

"Of course," Emu reassures, eyes soft and fond.

"Well then...don't mind if I do," Parad comments with a happy hum as he threads his hands into Emu's hair and guides the doctor's head to his, their lips meeting in an opened mouth kiss. He smirks when Emu exhales into his mouth, melting against him before wrapping his arms around Parad's neck as he lies down onto his back and returns the kiss.

Sinking his fangs into Emu is much more fun after a thorough kiss.

Once they're both left panting, he pulls away to trail his lips across Emu's jaw and down to his neck before sinking his fangs slowly, gently into Emu.

Emu shudders under him and moans softly as the bond pulses in contentment.

Licking the warm skin against his mouth, Parad injects his antigen into Emu's bloodstream. By doing so, he feels the bond he shares with his human lover flaring gold and the strength of it has gotten stronger each time he does so. Humming, he carefully draws out Emu's blood and in turn; his antibody, and swallows it down with a happy sigh.

"Wait," Emu murmurs under him when he's about to pull his fangs out. "Don't heal the marks. Leave them be, please."

He stops midway from doing just that and blinks at Emu in surprise. "Seriously?"

"Yeah," Emu confirms and gives him a pout. "You've been avoiding in leaving your fang marks on me, haven't you?"

Shrugging, he sits up to rest sideways against the couch. "I didn't want to make you uncomfortable."

"I love being marked by you, Parad," the doctor says almost petulantly as Emu mirrors him.

"And I love marking you, Emu," he reassures with a delighted grin at Emu's admission before he tries to put his thoughts and concerns into words. "It's just that hickeys and stuff...well, they're normal. But fang marks? It's kinda too possessive, isn't it? And you're sure as hell ain't a possession."

Emu smiles warmly at him, inclining his head. "I know that I'm not a possession and I know you'd never think of me that way, Parad."

"That's why—"

A finger is pressed gently against his lips as Emu leans his forward. "However— I _am_ yours, Parad. And I certainly don't mind if people know that."

"Still..."

"Being yours and you being mine," Emu muses, pulling his finger back. "How would you describe that exactly?"

He hums in thought. "Well...to me, it means trust and love; acceptance and a sense of belonging— home, basically." Playing with Emu's fingers, Parad brings the hand up to kiss the knuckles. "You only belong to yourself, of course. You're free, I just…also think part of me and part of you are together. Always." Pausing, he snorts when he remembers that he and Emu share the same soul after their truce and subsequent merging. "Literally in our case."

"Exactly." Emu leans over to kiss him, slow and languid before pulling back. "It's the same for me too. That's why, if you want to mark me—"

Parad shakes his head. "I do. Believe me, I do but people will think that you got mauled by a rabid animal or something and I feel like I'm gonna put you in a spot because of that."

Emu frowns, eyes firm. "That's not true."

"What do you mean?" Parad asks, head tilting to side.

Because from the tone in Emu's voice, he can tell it's not just because the marks are something they both enjoy.

"I saw your mark one weekend before it fully healed," Emu reveals, reaching out to cradle his cheek. "There's nothing rabid about it and I certainly don't look like I was mauled."

He frowns, confused even as he leans into the touch. "They're _fang marks_— how else would they look like?"

"Loved," Emu states, leaning his head against the couch and in turn, baring his neck to Parad so that he'd have a clear view of the fang mark in question.

His eyes blink rapidly at that. "Eh?"

"Your mark doesn't make me look like I've been mauled, Parad," Emu explains, pulling his hand back to brush his fingers against the fang mark on his neck with a soft, besotted smile. "It shows that I'm loved by you; tenderly and adoringly."

He watches, fixated at the unexpected sensuality of that action and swallows. "Emu..."

"You have nothing to worry about," Emu reassures and grabs his hand to press it against the side of the doctor's neck. "We both love that I'm marked by you so, please, leave them be?"

He bites his lip, uncertain. "Are you sure?"

"I'm sure and I promise, it's really alright." The soft smile on Emu's face morphs into something wicked and coy. "So whenever you want to leave a mark on me, please do." Crawling over, Emu settles comfortably on his lap and twines his arms around Parad's shoulders before Emu leans down to whisper in his ear. "Even in places where people can see, so that everyone will know that I'm yours and that I'm loved by you."

Eyes fluttering, he feels the familiar coil of heat thrumming from within the bond as he slides his hands under Emu's shirt to dig his fingers into Emu's hips. "If you keep saying these kind of things, Emu, we'll end up another round or two between the sheets."

"Trust me," Emu murmurs against his ear before he grinds down and causing them to gasp at the friction before pulling back to give Parad a half-lidded look and his heart stutters a little at how _dark_ Emu's eyes are right now. "I wouldn't mind that _at all._"

Parad feels his skin burn just from the smouldering look in Emu's eyes and he takes a deep breath. "And if I want to mark you up? Your neck, your shoulders— everywhere?"

"I told you, didn't I?" Emu murmurs, darting in for a quick kiss then trails a hand down to his own neck with a drawn out moan. "That I'm _yours_— always."

And that just sends blood racing away from Parad's brain and down to the pit of his gut because _shit_. He does the only thing he can think of, the only thing he wants to, the only thing he has wanted to do for a long, long while now and grabs the back of Emu's neck and pulls him down for a kiss.

Even if he still has a hard time believing in Emu's words (not because he doesn't trust Emu but it's just hard to believe that fang marks could be anything but morbid), he sure as hell ain't going to throw away the gift of trust Emu has given him. At the moment, he's not so much kissing Emu as _devouring_ him; tongue all hot and thorough and delights at the fact that Emu matches him just as fiercely.

When they break apart and try to suck air into their lungs, Parad doesn't pull away and instead, kisses down Emu's jaw, to his neck, licking and biting and sucking the skin there. He smirks at the knowledge that there are going to be visible marks until finally, when Parad sink his fangs into Emu, the bond they share burst into a golden inferno as his antigen flows into Emu as much as Emu's antibody flows back into him.

Parad isn't sure why but the more their antigen and antibody mix together, the stronger the bond becomes and right now, he's nearly swept away and feels breathless; overwhelmed by the current that's overflowing between him and Emu.

Above him, Emu clings to him; gasping and moaning as Parad's arms wrap around his beloved doctor tight as they fall back into their singularity.

Once they've teleported back into their bed; both naked and he's deep inside Emu, Parad makes good of his word and lays a trail of kisses and bites and bruises down the wonderfully pliant body beneath him.

"Parad..." Emu's voice is a breathy little sigh that gets right under Parad's skin, making his hips snap forward in a sharper thrust. Whenever his paediatrican is involved, Parad tends to throw away any semblance of control; already growling Emu's name with every other gasp of air. There's nothing to it but to channel the heat and uncontrollable desire rising up within him into his next thrust; making it longer, harder, deeper.

A moan escapes Emu's mouth, and the sound is beautiful enough that Parad forces himself to look away from the expanse of glistening skin, and up.

Emu's gaze is set on him, a dreamy little smile on his full lips. He is so achingly perfect like this— brown eyes glittering, fists clenching and unclenching on the sheets beneath them, all sinewy muscles and lithe limbs; stripped naked and flushed. Splayed out and opened up, just for Parad. Smiling and willing and loving— all for _Parad_.

"_Emu._" His fingers curl deep into the flesh beneath them, nails digging, as he alters the angle of his next thrust.

Emu gasps, his back arching beautifully. "_Parad._"

For all that his breath's coming out in short, fast stops between drawn out moans, Emu manages to sit up, writhing all the while and takes Parad's face in his hands, and presses their mouths together.

And for a long moment, he's lost in kissing Emu; licking his lips and sucking his tongue and swallowing up his cries; in tasting, feeling, breathing in his human until Emu himself gently guides him to the junction between his neck and shoulder.

Parad wants...he needs, so much, always Emu, only him—

His fangs sink into the bruising, swollen punctured skin and presses Emu back down on the bed, groaning deeply and swallows down sips of blood. His body takes over where his mind has given up control; their hips continue colliding in unfettered need as they crash together perfectly, over and over until white bursts behind his closed eyes as the bond _sings_ and he hears the hoarse cry that pushes out of swollen lips that echoes his own as they come together.

Floating down from the high of being merged so completely with Emu always takes awhile, so he lies panting above Emu for a bit before laying on his side. He then draws Emu into his arms but doesn't pull out because whenever either of them takes the other, they prefer to stay joined until they wake up.

Emu lets out a sigh of contentment and snuggles into him, kissing his jaw with a happy hum.

"I love you," he murmurs, kissing Emu's forehead and hugs his human close.

Emu smiles against his jaw and cups the side of his neck. "I love you too."

When there's a sliver of longing and melancholy in the bond, he pulls back slightly in concern and finds Emu smiling wistfully at him as he brushes his thumb against Parad's throat.

"What's wrong?" he asks, combing his fingers through Emu's hair.

"Nothing's wrong," Emu reassures and gently taps Parad's neck. "I just wish that I can do the same for you too— to show how beloved you are as you've always done for me."

Brows furrowing in thought, he hums and duly registers the spike of adoration and arousal at the mere thought of Emu biting him. "Well...since our powers mirror each other's, I wouldn't be surprised if you'd end up with a pair of fangs of your own one day." Leaning close, he peers at Emu's mouth in curiosity. "That is, if you don't already have 'em."

Emu laughs, delight bright in his eyes at the possibility. "I'd love that."

"So would I," he whispers and pulls Emu close to him, sharing a brief a kiss and whispers their words against each other's lips before they finally succumb to sleep.

The next time they wake up and about to get ready for work, Parad yawns as he stands up to stretch before turning back to the bed—

Only to freeze as his heart stutters in his chest at the breathtakingly beautiful sight before him.

Right on the bed, Emu is rolled onto his back and reaching above his head with knuckles against the headboard in a lengthening stretch. With a satisfied sigh, Emu collapses back down into the cradle of the mattress and lays there for awhile before glancing up at him when Emu feels the weight of Parad's stare. Emu blinks slowly at him before a sweet, sleepy smile spreads across his handsome face.

Parad feels like he's just taken a glancing blow to his stomach.

Emu's eyes are bright and warm, and his plush lips are red and speckled; clustered to the side of his bottom lip and sporadically dotted out from there. And breaking from the pale pink edges of his lip onto the skin, are little spots of dark red color.

Hickeys and grazes that can only be from Parad's fangs.

This is the first time he's ever seen Emu like this; all marked up by his fangs left unhealed. Sure, he left countless hickeys and love bites on Emu before but this…it's _claiming_. Gaping in disbelief, his gaze lowers and catches sight of Emu's naked body in its entirety.

Parad swallows thickly.

Here, under the soft, glow of the morning light is the evidence of Parad's...claim. Ardor.

The curve of Emu's shoulder, from the collarbone up, is one splotchy mass of red and purple that surround almost intricately around the twin punctured marks caused by his fangs— and that's just the biggest mark.

The doctor's ribs have dark, finger-shaped bruises that are pressed into his sides, curving around toward Emu's back. There are a few vaguely crescent-shaped, small pinch and grazing marks on his neck and upper chest. Then, lower, leaving a nonsensical trail down, are more tiny fang shaped hickeys.

A tight ball of something warm settles low in his chest and paired with the slow spread of arousal heating his belly, Parad is abruptly overcome with a shaky sort of weakness.

"_Oh,_" he gasps out, a hand covering his mouth and feels a burn behind his eyes.

Because here is Emu (his heart, his soul, his everything— his very _home_) and his heart squeezes and his breath wheezes out of him and Emu is absolutely—

Beautiful. Gorgeous. Awe-inspiring.

_His._

Parad can't breathe.

Because Houjou Emu is the only one Parad has and will ever love and want, and he is lying right there in their bed— breathtaking and adored and _loved_.

_Your mark doesn't make me look like I've been mauled, Parad. It shows that I'm loved by you; tenderly and adoringly._

And all Parad wants to do is blanket Emu's body with his own, to stretch out all across it and feel his heat seeping into Parad's skin so that they'll merge as one; forever and always.

What he finds himself doing is tentatively crawling back onto the bed, hands on either side of Emu. The paediatrician just smiles at him; soft at the edges and infinitely fond as Parad settles in. Parad haltingly reaches a hand up to touch Emu's chest, caught somewhere between hesitation and aching desire. But then his fingertips hit skin and Parad feels only softness and warmth and...he trails his fingers up until they gently curl around the left side of Emu's neck.

Where his fang mark is clear for everyone to see.

Suddenly all he wants to do is to sink himself into Emu; curl into him, blur their edges together and there truly is no end and no beginning with them.

His eyes dart up to Emu's and tries to swallow the lump that's lodged in his throat as he sees and _feels_ the acceptance and contentedness and openness and invitation in Emu's eyes that their bond mirrors as it thrums happily between them.

"See? I'm loved by you," Emu whispers, hands cradling Parad's face with a warm, loving smile.

Parad nods shakily, smile tremulous and leans down to meet Emu halfway for a kiss. Minutes pass before they pull apart; breathing on both sides a little more laboured. He blinks and sees Emu grinning up at him, and makes to steal another kiss and Parad gives it willingly; allowing himself to enjoy the gentle pressure of those soft lips against his.

This time, when they part, Emu takes his hand to press it against the fang mark. "I love you, Parad."

"As I love you, Emu," he whispers, thumb caressing the mark before dipping down so that their mouths will meet and hold.


	4. Counterpart

**COUNTERPART**

* * *

"Houjou-sensei!" The head nurse; Yumita marches up to him with a stern frown and before Emu even has the chance to greet her, the nurse huffs as she folds her arms. "Please remember that you're working with _children."_

Confused, he blinks at Yumita, who then lets out an exasperated sigh and points to his neck—

At _exactly_ where Parad's fang mark is.

Cupping his neck, it's then he notices the muffled laughter within the office and Emu clears his throat as he looks away with a blushing smile. "Understood, Yumita-san."

Noticing his smile, Yumita shakes her head and gives him a deadpanned look.

"You're not the least bit embarrassed are you?"

"No." Smile widening into a grin, Emu sets his bag down under his desk. "I'm certainly not."

Lips twitching, Yumita comes closer to squint down on the mark. "Goodness me." The nurse backs up with a fond smile. "That partner of yours really loves you, huh?"

"That's an understatement," Poppy's voice suddenly quips up behind him and he lets out a yelp of surprise. Poppy giggles and gives him a wave. "Good morning, Emu!"

Huffing, he smiles at his friend. "Good morning, Asuna-san." Emu then turns back to Yumita with a hapless chuckle as he answers. "And yes, yes he does."

"It's impossible to resist the uniform, isn't it?" One of his fellow paediatricans pipes up from her desk, resting a hand against a cheek with a dreamy sigh. "That paramedic uniform is a crime on Parad-san, I swear."

A chorus of agreement chimes throughout the office and Emu feels his eye twitch.

Neither he nor Parad are exactly the jealous or possessive type (sorta), and honestly, Emu's glad that other people can appreciate how good looking (read: drop dead _gorgeous_) Parad is but sometimes, he can't help but find it..._annoying_ that there are others that are eyeing his partner and lover.

But he does agree with them though.

Ever since Parad decided to pursue medicine and became a paramedic, his affinity to the uniform is downright sinful. It makes Emu wonder how colleagues and patients alike can keep it together whenever Parad is on duty. Because honestly? Emu ever rarely can. He's lost count on how many times they got sidetracked with sex because of how difficult it is to restrain himself whenever he sees Parad in uniform. It's to a point where Parad makes it a habit to change into his uniform at the hospital rather than at their apartment more often than not because of how late they end up being from getting distracted in seeing each other in uniform.

...And that's not adding to all the too many roleplays in said uniforms.

"It is." Turning to his colleagues, Emu smiles in a way that's a little too sharp at the edges. Behind him, he hears Poppy mutters something about black auras. "But please do keep in mind that Parad is _mine."_

There's a beat of dead silence before another colleague raises a hand and gives him a nervous wave. "Duly noted, Houjou-sensei."

"Thank you," he says, bowing his head slightly then gives them all a bright smile. "Well, I'll be doing my rounds now, so please excuse me."

As he, Poppy and Yumita leave the office, Emu picks up a passing nurse murmuring to a doctor.

"It's always the nice ones you have to look out for, huh?"

When he hears Poppy and Yumita stifling a laugh in front of him, Emu feels his smile morphing into a smirk.

"So," Poppy singsongs, slowing down to skip beside him with an amused smile. "You and Parad had a really fun weekend, huh?"

Emu shrugs, ignoring the gaping stares at his exposed neck and greets passing staff members and patients alike with a smile. "Oh, definitely."

"Now be careful, Emu," Poppy advises, smile taking on a teasing edge. "Or people might think you're bragging."

"That's the thing, Poppy." Leaning close, he whispers conspiringly to his friend with a smug smile. "I _am."_

Poppy breaks out into giggles at that while Yumita huffs out a laugh in front of them.

Humming under his breath, Emu brushes his fingers across Parad's fang mark and smiles happily at the loving warmth thrumming underneath his skin.

Why _wouldn't_ he brag? Emu is loved and adored by the person he loves most after all.

As times go on, those in the hospital eventually grow used to seeing the blooming fang marks on his neck. Even the children. Although, trying to think of an explanation behind the fang marks is a bit difficult so Emu ends up giving any curious child the g-rated version of the truth.

"It's my lover's special way of showing that he loves me," he tells a little girl as she stares at his neck. "It's something only he can do though."

"Wow." The little girl; Naoko nods with bright eyes as she breathes out. "It's so pretty."

Beaming wide, he touches his neck. "Isn't it?"

Left to heal on its own, the fang mark tends to have the veins surrounding it bloom into intricate series of twists and flicks like vines wrapping lovingly around the side of his throat.

"Yup!" Naoko giggles, bracing her palms on the carpeted floor and leans close to him. "You always look happy whenever you have it."

Emu breathes out a laugh, eyes softening and chases after the other end of the bond to give it a loving tug. There's a burst of startled delight from Parad at sensing Emu before a joyous wave of love and affection wash over him and his smile widens as Emu basks in the undeniable knowledge that he's loved without apology.

However, as time passes, Emu notices that since he asked for the marks to be left alone to heal on its own time, he has Parad's antigen mixing with his antibody a lot longer. Which may or may not make his urge to bite Parad stronger than usual. Because ever since he realised that he's in love with Parad, he always has this odd (for a human) fixation to bite his partner and it has since gotten stronger to a point where Emu can feel his teeth _ache_. Or that he may or may not have an inappropriate expression on his face whenever Emu gets a glimpse of his lover's neck.

_Smack._

"Ow!" Cupping his nose with a yelp, Emu stares up at Kiriya— who's holding his clipboard up with an amused smirk on his face. "What was _that_ for, Kiriya-san?!"

"Had to wipe that look off of your face, Ace," Kiriya tells him, wagging a finger under his nose not unlike a scolding parent. "Because it seriously looked like ya wanted to get down and dirty with the resident Progenitor right here in the middle of CR."

"I wasn't—" Face blazing, Emu waves his hands about as he stutters and looks around in CR; relieved to find that the others have since gone back to their respective work after Emu's outburst. He whispers furiously at the coroner. "That's— I wasn't thinking about that!"

Unconvinced, his friend just gives him a deadpanned look. "Uhuh..."

"I was just, that is—" Giving up, Emu faceplants onto the table with an embarrassed groan. "Oh, geez!"

Kiriya laughs and when he raises his head to glare balefully at the coroner, Kiriya wipes away a fake tear from his eye. "You kids sure grow up so fast these days."

"It's not _like_ that," Emu grumbles out, sinking deeper into his chair.

Kiriya pats his shoulder with another laugh. "Whatever you say, Emu."

Seriously. How do you explain to people that you want to bite your lover so bad that your teeth literally _ache?_

Thankfully, work keeps his mind and eyes straying to Parad or the long column of his neck for the rest of the day. However, the moment he and Parad return back to their apartment, those thoughts come back with a vengeance. So much so that he ends up losing to Parad for too many rounds of Bang Bang Shooting.

Groaning, he slumps against the couch while Parad snickers beside him.

"Got a hell of a party up there, huh?" Parad comments with a fond smirk, propping his chin on Emu's shoulder and gently pokes his temple. "Your thoughts been ricocheting all over the place, sweetheart."

Pouting, he tucks himself under Parad's chin for a snuggle and sighs in content when the bugster reels him close. "I'm just being a little...there's this um, longing inside me? But it's raw. Primal, even." Brows furrowing, Emu rests his head on Parad's collarbone and feels the ache in his teeth getting stronger now that Parad's throat is within biting range. "Sorry, I have no idea how to explain it."

"I think I do." Parad tips his chin up, eyes thoughtful before his lips quirk up in a faint smirk. "You want to bite me don't you?"

Eyes widening, he nods furiously. _"Yes!"_

Parad laughs, soft and adoring.

Smiling, he lowers his voice. "I don't know why but I really, _really_ do."

"I had the same urge too," Parad reassures, thumb caressing the edge of Emu's lips. "It used to scare the shit out of me when I first thought about sinking my fangs into you." Eyes skirting away, Parad clears his throat. "So, I kinda tried...distancing myself for a bit?"

Emu stills, and at those words he suddenly sees the odd, tense month after Parad returned from Sento's world in a whole new light. Does that mean...could it be that the jarring distance he'd sensed between them during that confusing month had been a result of Parad's fear of the then unexplainable urge to bite Emu? Had Parad been trying to come to terms with it?

Something happened in Parad's second week back from the SkyWall world, he knows, because Parad had been his usual self up until that point. After the second week, though, something changed, and Parad had been quiet, nervous (almost scared) especially around Emu, and more fidgety than usual when left alone with nothing to do. He'd accepted more work from the Ministry even though it cut down on his time with Emu. The urge is more likely far more acute for Parad and shifted the bugster off-balance and in turn, had shaken and disorientated Emu too: Parad was distant in every interaction, and it hurt.

Even Kuroto noticed, and he spends half of his time cackling away in his cell, preferring to create more 'divine' games to interacting with people.

Eventually, the strange breach between them had been closed when Emu caved and confined his worries to Poppy when all of his attempts to reconcile didn't work. His best friend has always been invested with his relationship with Parad so it wasn't long that Poppy brought a chastened Parad to him; still miserable and nervous. Both bugsters looked strangely sombre that time and Poppy wouldn't stop sending Parad worried looks. Despite that, Parad had apologised profusely for avoiding him and hugged Emu tight with trembling shoulders.

While things had gone back to normal after that, there was this certain air of resignation to Parad; as if he feels that he only deserved so much. Thankfully, that disappeared when they got together and cleared up any misunderstandings about Parad's fangs and subsequent bitings.

"So that's why," he mutters, hugging his bugster close.

"Yeah." Parad rests their foreheads together, sighing and Emu can feel a glimmer of remorse from Parad through their bond. "I was scared that I was gonna hurt you and I've already hurt you enough, hadn't I?"

Emu cups the side of Parad's face, voice firm. "But you didn't hurt me."

"But I could've," Parad points out reasonably. "No other bugster has the same urge so I didn't exactly have a frame of reference as to whether it's a good thing or a bad thing."

"Trust me." Emu taps his neck with a pleased smirk, directly where Parad's fang mark is. "It's a _very_ good thing."

Returning his smirk, Parad nuzzles his face with Emu's as he purrs. "Happy to know."

With a laugh, he closes the gap between them to catch impish lips into a kiss and smiles when Parad melts into him. Gently, he pushes the bugster so that Parad will lie on his back before Emu hovers over him; cupping the underside of Parad's jaw to beckon those fangs out. When he feels the familiar points grazing temptingly against his tongue and lips, Emu hums and pulls back. He watches, entranced, as Parad's eyes flutter opened before a languid smile spreads across fanged lips.

Licking a fang, Parad stretches. "Nico compares it to vampires but it's really not though. I don't have an urge to drink blood— not even yours." Brows wagging, Parad sends him a heated look. "Although, you're _very_ delicious just so you know."

Emu chuckles, infinitely charmed as Parad brings up his hand to press a smirking kiss against the knuckles.

"So not a vampire," he says in mock disappointment.

Parad nods with a sigh. "Sadly, no." Perking up, the bugster then bares his fangs with a hiss and curls his fingers to imitate claws. "But I sure as hell can pass as one!"

Gasping, he plays along and clutches his chest before flopping on top of Parad, causing a fit of giggles.

"But like I said," Parad continues once he got his laughter under control. "It's not the blood; it's the antibody— yours, to be more precise."

Emu tilts his head, curious. "Just mine?"

"I get ill just _thinking_ about having anyone else's antibody but yours," Parad confirms, shuddering slightly before his expression turns wry. "When I first brought it up to Poppy, she got so worried about me because we're viruses, y'know? Me wanting your antibody in my system is like an equivalent to self-destruction."

Alarmed, he darts a worried glance at his lover. "But it's not, right?"

That might also explains why Poppy looked so worried when she helped bring Parad back to him.

"It's not," Parad reassures, tracing the contours of Emu's face with a finger. "Since I'm the Progenitor and that you're Patient Zero and my former host, it's actually a really good thing for us."

"That's a relief." Emu leans into the feather-like touch. "Still, I'm sorry that you had to handle that longing alone."

Parad shrugs with a chuckle. "It's alright. Thinking back, I didn't have that urge until much later— after we became friends again."

"Really?" Confused, his brows furrow. "So it wasn't a constant thing?"

"Nope, that's why I was so worried." Parad waves his hands about, exasperated. "Suddenly this urge just reared its head and I got so scared! I mean, we were finally friends again and the thought of hurting you was just..."

When his lover trails off with a look that has his heart twisting, Emu leans forward to kiss the expression away.

"Neither of us are like that anymore, Parad," Emu reassures when he pulls back.

Parad's eyes soften, gleaming with gratitude. "I know."

"When did it start anyway?" Emu asks, steering the conversation back. "The urge."

Unexpectedly, the bugster blushes bright red.

"What is it?" Emu questions around a chuckle, charmed at the adorable sight.

Parad pouts for a moment before he relents. "...when I realised that I'm in love with you."

"Seriously?" When Parad nods, Emu brightens with a grin as he leans close. "It's the same for me too!"

Dark eyes blink at him in rapid succession. "Eh?"

"The truth is..." Rubbing the back of his neck, it's his turn to blush. "This isn't a new thing for me." Emu points to his mouth. "Despite the fact that I don't have fangs, ever since I realised that I'm in love with you, I've always wanted to bite you, Parad."

A delighted smile spread across Parad's lips. "Really?"

"Yeah." Pausing to think, Emu taps his chin with a hum. "I think it started around the time you came back from Sento-san's world."

Parad gapes.

"...What?"

"No, it's just..." Rueful, the bugster ruffles his curls and gives him a sheepish grin. "I came into terms that I'm in love with you a week after we took down Mogami."

Dumbfounded, they stare at each other for a moment before they burst out laughing.

"We synch in everything don't we?" he gasps out through his giggles, wiping a tear from an eye.

Parad snickers and nods. "Seems like."

"So our urge to bite each other." Emu points between them. "It's a physical response to us being in love with one another?"

Parad cradles his chin in thought. "Maybe? I mean, the more I found myself in love with you, the more I wanted to sink my fangs into you."

"That still doesn't explain why my teeth's been literally _aching_ to bite you lately," he comments, pointing to himself.

"It could be because our antigen and antibody are mixing more often," Parad suggests.

Emu hums, contemplative. "I thought about that too."

"Well, only one way to find out!" Tugging his shirt off, Parad beckons him closer. "C'mon."

Temporarily distracted by the sight of pale skin, Emu then gapes at his lover. "Wha...?"

"Bite me," Parad clarifies, tapping his throat with a finger as he smirks. "Literally like how I do it to you."

Emu swallows, teeth aching while his breathing stutters. "Can I really?"

The bugster nods, smirk softening into a smile. "Of course."

Emu watches as Parad closes his eyes, long black lashes brushing his cheeks before his head turns away to present his neck like the most delicious of invitations; a kind of temptation that Emu can't resist.

Waiting for no further prompting, Emu leans down and trails his mouth slowly along the curve of Parad's exposed shoulder, tracing the graceful, corded muscles on the path from shoulder to neck. Emu smiles when he feels Parad shudders under him before letting his teeth sink deeply into his lover's flesh.

"_Yes,_" Parad hisses, burying his fingers into Emu's hair.

Straddling the pliant body under him, Emu pins the bugster down as he licks, laps and sucks Parad's neck. The ache in his teeth disappears, only to be replaced with a sort of hunger Emu can't explain— this bone deep desire to be infected and to cure; to be one so completely with his Heart and Soul until there's no hope for him and Parad to separate anymore.

So he does just that; sinking his teeth down with particular relish and feels light headed at the gasp Parad chokes out. The bugster is swiftly filling his mind, becoming the focus of his universe as everything else slips away to insignificance as the urge to claim, to please, to mark; to do everything he can to make sure that this remarkable person beneath him will know that he is so loved and adored by Emu— that there'll never be anyone or anything else that Emu will love so completely for the rest of his existence. It's a desire that wells up like blood rising from a wound. Thick, raw, compelling...

**_Delicious._**

Growling low in his throat, Emu licks the small puncture wounds before pausing in alarm when the taste of blood fills his mouth and pulls back in worry. His eyes widen when Emu sees the blood around Parad's neck and shoulder.

"Oh my god..." Lurching forward, he hovers over Parad and brushes curly bangs away to find dazed vermilion eyes. "Are you okay, Par— ow!"

Wincing, he reaches a hand up to his mouth; surprised to feel a sharp pair of elongated fangs where his canines used to be.

No way.

"No wonder you like being bitten so much," Parad murmurs underneath him and he quickly looks down to find Parad staring up at him with a dreamy smile on his lips before letting out a breathy moan as Parad touches his bloodied neck. "It feels _so good."_

Relieved that his lover is alright, Emu dips down to wrap Parad's head in a hug and carefully presses a kiss to Parad's temple. "You're _bleeding_, dearheart."

"That I am," Parad quips with a chuckle and he feels the bugster using their bond to wrap it reassuringly around him. The bugster turns his head to kiss Emu's cheek and whispers coyly, smirk unseen but clearly heard from his voice. "So, how do I taste?"

Emu pulls back to grin down at his partner, giddy at the way Parad's eyes dart down to his lips (to his fangs!) and feels a zing of arousal from the bugster.

"Absolutely delicious," Emu says immediately before licking his lips in hopes to chase after the taste of Parad's essence. Wincing slightly when his tongue grazes the sharp point of a fang, Emu makes sure to be more careful as he asks. "Is it your antigen that's making the blood taste so good?"

Parad shrugs. "If it's the same way as your antibody does for you then, yeah I think so." Reaching up to brush his thumb against Emu's lips then to a fang, Parad gives him a bashful grin as his voice lowers in awe. "You're happy."

"So very happy," Emu says with a dopey grin, and he is. So much so that he feels like he's about to float away from the feeling. "I can mark you now— show you and make you feel loved as much you've done for me."

Parad pouts up at him in confusion even as he reassures. "You've always made me feel loved, Emu."

"I'm glad." Tracing his fingers above Parad's neck, Emu gestures to the puncture wounds a little helplessly. "But it's just that, y'know, now I can..."

Understanding lights up in Parad's eyes before his bugster smiles at him, soft and besotted. "I know, Emu. Trust me, I've been there— I know."

Relieved, he carefully lays himself on top of Parad; knowing that his weight is something the bugster takes comfort in. With a curious hum, Emu pokes at one of his fangs and delights at the fact that it even _exists._ His feet kick up in the air. He's always wanted to leave fang marks on Parad and to know that he _can_ now is making him ridiculously happy.

"Our powers really do mirror each other." Sighing in content, Emu smiles at Parad and feels his fangs poking out. That'll take time in getting used to. "Geez, I have _fangs_ now."

Parad snickers and mirrors his smile; his own fangs poking out like the counterparts they are. "Probably the only human who does." Pausing, the bugster gives him a sheepish look. "Sorry."

"Don't be," Emu reassures, shifting up so that he can lick away the bloodied mess he made while savouring the euphoric taste of his lover's antigen. Once the bugster is relatively clean, Emu lies back down and murmurs against the hollow of Parad's throat. "I really like them."

"So do I," Parad whispers, carding his fingers through Emu's hair before pausing with a groan. "Aw, hell."

Closing his eyes, Emu nuzzles against Parad's throat. "What?"

"You having fangs now is gonna be so distracting." Parad cradles his chin and tips him up until their eyes meet, pouting with an exaggerated huff. "As if you're not sexy enough."

Emu blushes at the compliment before he leans close with a smirk. "Now you know how _I_ feel." He then dips down to trail kisses up and down Parad's jaw and throat, chuckles low when Parad shudders from the way he _knows_ his fangs are grazing the bugster. "Suffer."

"Only in the best way," Parad snarks back, tilting his head to offer more of his neck to him. "Emu?

Sucking on a patch of skin until it blooms into a hickey, Emu shifts to mouth the bugster's jaw. "Hm?"

"Please," Parad moans out, guiding his head until Emu is above the puncture marks he left behind. "Please devour me."

Breath stuttering right out of him at the request he never thought he'd be able to hear, Emu raises himself up until his lips brushes against Parad's. "With pleasure, Parad."

Natural as breathing, they meet each other halfway with enthusiasm. Parad always said that biting is more enjoyable after a thorough kiss, and as their fangs graze and catch into each other's mouths; with long fingers burying into his hair while his own hands curl around Parad's jaw, Emu believes it's a damn good practice.

Once they break apart, Emu lays kisses down to Parad's neck and throat until his lips brush against his mark. Heart threatening to beat right out of his chest, Emu glances up at Parad and finds his lover smiling softly at him.

"Go on," Parad murmurs, presenting his neck further as his pupils blow impossibly wide. "I'm yours. Always."

Eyes softening and heart full, Emu nods and presses a reverent kiss on the mark before sinking his fangs into it.

Since it's his first time, Emu is vaguely aware that he's terribly clumsy in drawing out blood so tries to do it slowly and carefully; lapping up the drops of antigen as he sucks Parad's blood. His lover's blood is delicious, regenerative, and euphoric. One hand grips Parad's shoulder, the other sliding into his lover's tousled curls, pulling his head back and to the side a little more as Emu sinks his fangs deeper, wanting and needing more.

"Emu," Parad groans softly into his ear as Emu drinks.

The groan rings a shudder from Emu as he buries his face in his lover's neck, receiving sustenance and breathing in Parad's electrifying scent. He can feel Parad using their bond to help guide him on how to better use his fangs, which Emu eagerly latches on. Which angle, different technique, how deep, how fast, how much.

It's intimate and intense and all encompassing— a lot like making love.

"Why do you think I hate biting you in public?" Parad asks breathlessly, pushing Emu's head further down and he groans low as more blood slides down his throat. "The faces we make...I'd gouge the whole world blind if they get a glimpse of us this way."

_Same. No one else. Ever._

Parad's knees grip his hips, pulling him down to press against the bugster and Emu is helplessly entranced by the sounds of soft needy gasps echoing in his ear. Emu is keenly aware of the aroused fire coursing through their veins, amplified further by the mix of their antibody and antigen. Carefully releasing Parad's neck, Emu pulls back and is struck by how so breathtakingly _beautiful_ Parad is.

Soft, dark curls splayed across the sheets, Parad's fiery coloured eyes blink up at him and Emu feels a lump in his throat at the unconditional trust and love in those eyes. Parad has always worried that he doesn't deserve him, when really, Emu feels like it's _him_ who's undeserving. They lost so much time because Emu had been so stubborn and unreasonable with the way he treated and ignored Parad— so selfish as Emu was that he used Muteki to 'kill' and made Parad yield to his conditions after rejecting him for so long.

How in the world did his beautiful lover could ever forgive him for all of that?

"Oh, sweetheart." A hand cradles his cheek before wiping away the tears that are streaming down his face. Despite that his vision is blurry with tears, Emu can still see the love and forgiveness shining in Parad's eyes. It makes Emu cry even harder. "I forgave you for all of that years ago."

Emu sobs. "Why? We lost so much because of me."

"Because of the _both_ of us," Parad corrects firmly, rising up to cup Emu's face. "I won't lie, Emu. You ignoring and rejecting me played a big part as to why I lashed out with Chronicle— but hurting people; _you_ especially was wrong of me. Didn't solve our shit either." Leaning close to rest their foreheads together, Parad brushes a fanged kiss to his lips. "You've already made it up to me, y'know?"

Sniffling, Emu blinks away the tears. "I don't know if I have..."

"Emu," his partner begins seriously, thumbs brushing away the tears on Emu's face. "You fought the Ministry— not just Health but the whole damn thing for me. You knew the odds were stacked against you and still you fought for me."

He snarls when he remembers the reason behind that. "They were trying to take you away from me. I wasn't going to let that happen, dearheart."

"Well, it wasn't hard to forgive you when I saw that." Parad brushes his thumb against one of Emu's fangs. "Hell, you didn't back down even when they took your doctor's licence away."

Emu ducks his head, eyes skirting away with a blush. "I could still find a way to get my licence back and be a doctor. Eventually."

Parad snickers and he can't help but smile at that. Breathing in, he raises his gaze so that it'll lock with Parad's.

"But you? I can _never_ lose you— especially not when I love you so much."

At times, Emu feels that looking at Parad is like looking at the sun— his afterimage forever imprinted into Emu's retinas...and his soul. And looking at Parad right now; fanged mouth blooming into a besotted grin, Emu believes that it's a fair comparison.

"I love you too, Emu." Parad reaches out to brush Emu's bangs away before leaning down to kiss his forehead; tender and lingering as he murmurs against his skin. "So very much."

_You've forgiven me for my sins. What makes you think I haven't forgiven you back?_

Emu holds all of those words close, and when Parad pulls back, he crawls onto Parad's lap to hug the bugster. Tucking his face into Parad's neck, he kisses the still bleeding mark and sighs in content as long fingers run through his hair.

_Mine. I'll do right by you. Mine. I love you so much. Mine._

Following the mental impressions Parad is sending him as a guide, Emu laps and caresses the bite wound on Parad's neck with his tongue and lips until the mark heals enough to stop the bleeding. As he pulls away, Emu gently brushes Parad's hair back behind his ear, letting his fingers linger against the fang mark on the bugster's neck.

_Emu's_ fang mark.

Floored, he watches with a heart so full and aching sweetly in his chest as Parad leans into his touch; captured by the incredible loving warmth in Parad's eyes. It's a breathtaking sight that shows Emu that somehow, someway, he is the centre of Parad's universe as much Parad is his.

Emu's heart is tight with so many emotions he feels his body can hardly contain them. He swallows several times, trying to get back the ability to speak. But he can't. So leans forward to press his lips to Parad's and immediately, Parad's arms slip around his back and the two of them hold onto each other, just soaking up one another's presence as the bond hums between them; profoundly in peace.

When they pull back, the sight of their fangs mirroring each other has them laughing into each other's mouths. They then fall back onto the couch before both he and Parad mutually sink their fangs into each other's necks; having every intention to re-explore each other with this added development between them.

_We really are invincible, aren't we?_

In the end, everyone learns to get used to seeing fang marks not only on Emu, but on Parad as well.


	5. Devour

**DEVOUR**

* * *

"Oof!"

Shaking his head slightly, Parad blinks up at Emu as he's pinned against the mat.

Emu grins, fang peeking out as he traces Parad's jaw with a finger. "I win."

They're currently in the gym stage within their apartment for a sparring session (something that's required for CR personnel ever since the game disease broke out years back) and Parad has to smirk in seeing how much Emu has improved compared to when he first became Ex-Aid.

"Game clear," he agrees with a purr. "You're winning a lot more nowadays."

Emu chuckles, leaning close. "No easy feat though since you're too strong when it comes to hand-to-hand."

"Knockout Fighter _is_ based on me after all," he says with a shrug. "Fighting is pretty much second nature for me."

Emu's smile turns sad and brittle. "I hate the circumstances behind it though, considering..."

"I know." Reaching out to cradle the side of Emu's face, he brushes his thumb against a cheekbone. "Neither New Genome nor Cronus can hurt me anymore."

Emu's eyes flash; vicious and vengeful. "Never again will anyone lay a hand on you."

Anyone else would be alarm and scared at the unusual bout of darkness from the normally kindhearted doctor but not him. Parad knows right from the start on how terrifying his lover can be and he revels in being the only one to ever know all of Houjou Emu and that also includes Emu's darker nature.

Honestly? He finds it downright sexy.

"Thanks," he murmurs and rising up to give Emu a peck on the lips. "Back at ya."

Emu hisses a breath above him, and Parad smirks because it's always dangerous to be affectionate with one another after a spar since their libidos are heightened to a ridiculous degree. The first time it happened when they were at the hospital gym, they had to quickly teleport out lest they end up having sex out in the open. Ever since then, they chose to spar in their apartment which is a wise decision since they have the privacy to even go up against each other naked just to have a handicap. Or even when they're feeling frisky.

Like right now.

A quick glance down and he smirks on how rock hard Emu is. "Someone's horny~!"

"Like you're one to talk," Emu huffs with an eyeroll, giving Parad's weeping cock a pointed look. "You've been dripping pre-cum ever since we _started_."

Parad shrugs. "Can you blame me? I'm in love with a sexy, gorgeous human."

"Says the sexy, gorgeous bugster," Emu quips back with a blush.

They grin, sharing a laugh as the bond pulses with love and lust.

"So," he drawls out with a lazy smirk, spreading his legs in invitation. "Aren't you gonna claim your horny prize? You won fair and square after all."

Emu hums, fingers brushing against Parad's stomach before moving up in a sensual trail to cup his throat. "In a bit. I'm trying to decide on how I want to have you."

"My heart's dancing," he coos, wiggling under Emu to have their cocks slide together and causing them to moan at the friction. "Bite me, Emu?"

Chuckling, the doctor nods as he places his hands around Parad's hips. "Only if you bite me back, Parad."

"Obviously!"

The smile on Emu's lips morphs into something lethal as his eyes bleed crimson.

Oooh~! He's gonna be devoured whole and it's gonna be awesome!

Emu dips down and catches his lips in a kiss, a hand buried in Parad's curls while the other brushes along his neck. He moans and wraps his legs around Emu's waist as his doctor continues licking into his mouth, teeth sinking into his bottom lip and tugging.

"Emu," he murmurs, hands tangled into mussed up hair. "Want you inside me."

Sucking on his tongue, Emu then trails his lips down his jaw and neck until he reaches his throat. "Yeah? Tell me."

"Fuck me open with your cock," Parad gasps out as they rock against each other. "Wanna be stuffed full of cum while your cock's pounding into me."

Emu groans as he lifts his head up, fangs fully aroused and panting. "Want me to fuck you pretty with my cum, sweetheart? Is that it? My fangs in your neck while my cock is up in your ass?"

"Hell yeah," he hisses, his own fangs aching and wanting nothing more than to claim that delicious neck above him. "Devour me. Bleed me. Fill me up, dearheart. Want to be so full of you till I'm _dripping_."

With a growl, Emu tugs his hair to lick and mouth the sensitive skin of Parad's neck and he moans softly, bucking into Emu at the sensation.

"Emu," he whimpers, nails trailing down Emu's back and he can feel his human smiling against Parad's skin as he slowly teases Parad's neck with his teeth and fangs, pulse pounding hard in his carotid artery as the doctor traces it with his tongue.

"Parad," Emu whispers against his skin as he sucks warmly against the curve of Parad's throat, licking it up before hungrily biting down and starting to draw.

Shuddering in delight, Parad slides one hand behind Emu's head, tangling in his hair and hugging him close as he drinks before he follows suit. He smirks as Emu gasps. Relief and heady delight flood Parad's senses as the warm antibody blood rushes down his throat and into his body. Nothing else in existence tastes this good or makes him feel this incredible. As time goes on, Parad knows that he and Emu are getting well and truly addicted to each other's antiblood. Nothing else will ever taste the same or satisfy as deeply. The fact that they're allowed to lose all control and restraint...is freeing and he _likes_ it.

When Emu pulls away, he tries to chase after him only to growl when he's locked in place. Looking up, Parad finds that there's a ring of gold blending in with the crimson in Emu's eyes.

"Seriously?" he grouses out.

Emu pokes his tongue out at him, mirth dancing in his eyes. "Want to open you up first."

"Oh?"

They never need to be prepped because of their biologies but the hunger in Emu's eyes tells him that it won't be with fingers. Which is a bit of a shame since he quite likes being fisted but then...oh!

Parad smirks. "Are you gonna eat me out?"

A fang peeks out of Emu's mouth in answer. "Well, you did say to bite you." The doctor leans down and spreads opened Parad's thighs with a hum. "You never said _where_."

Before he can say anything to that, Emu dives down to swallow down his cock and he screams as his lover licks and sucks his length; fangs grazing. Panting, he watches as Emu hollows his cheeks before sliding up to give playful nibbles against the swollen head. Writhing at the sensation of having sharp fangs grazing him with every suck and swallow, Parad groans long and low as he twists against invisible restraints.

"Emu," he moans as Emu swallows around the head of Parad's cock, eyes finding his. "Want you inside, please...!"

Pulling off of Parad's cock entirely, Emu kisses down the length as Parad whines when Emu mouths at Parad's too full sack.

"Anything for you, Parad," Emu murmurs against his fevered skin before his tongue darts out to lick at Parad's entrance and he groans as his hole stretches easily around Emu's tongue as he pushes in.

Chest heaving, he grinds his ass down on Emu's face, begging to be fucked harder, thighs squeezing around Emu's head. Emu thrusts his tongue in and out as he kisses and bites Parad's entrance, fangs catching the rim of his ass and allowing his human to push his tongue in deeper. Parad whimpers in delight at the mix of pleasure and pain as Emu fucks him opened.

When he feels like he's gonna tip over the edge, Emu comes up to drape over him and releases the restraints. Without pause, they sink their fangs into each other as Emu's cock lines up against his hole.

He keens as Emu works his cock into him, his ass opening up wider in response to Emu and engulfing the doctor quickly. They moan in unison, Emu muffling his voice into Parad's shoulder as he pushes all the way in, cock throbbing inside of him. When they release each other, Parad knots his fingers in Emu's hair and hungrily pulls Emu's mouth to his, licking his own blood off the other's lips before they delve into a deep kiss. They claim each other's mouths possessively with lips, teeth and fangs; blood dripping down their chins.

Pulling back, Emu continues to give shallow thrusts as he slides his hands up to Parad's sides and along his arms, guiding them up so that Parad's hands rest on either side of his head before threading their fingers together. Above him; hair tousled with pre-cum and blood dripping down his chin, Emu is a hellavu of a vision. With a smirk, he lies panting and watches Emu hungrily gazes down at him.

"So beautiful," Emu murmurs, licking blood stained lips and when he leans down, dark hair curtains around his face as teal-gold eyes glaze with desire. "And all _mine_."

Parad grounds his hips, pushing Emu's cock further inside of him with a growl. "_Yours_."

Their bodies move and clash against one another in a rhythm that's half dance, half battle; rolling back and forth on the mat in a heated tangle, unable to get enough of each other, bodies pressing and straining together in hungry, wanton desire. The gym is filled with sounds of cries and growls mixing in with the slap of Emu's balls hitting Parad's ass.

"You feel so good, Parad," Emu tells him, thrusting into Parad harder and bending him nearly in half as the human leans forward. "Want to fill you up with my antibody and cum, just like you deserve."

"Shit," Parad hisses, hands holding his legs up and spread them wide for Emu as he slams into him, relentless. It's easier like this, Emu has better access and it only fuels the heat within the bond, the delirious want running through their veins as he screams. "_Want_ you, Emu. Mark me, make me _yours_...!"

They sink their fangs into each other again as they tussle, howling and Parad feels his keyed up body almost cramping with head-spinning bliss as Emu trails hot kisses and bites down the side of his neck while their hips continue to rock with unfettered desire.

"Mine," he rumbles, hand fisting into Emu's hair, fangs sinking deeper into his lover's neck. His hips buck upwards as Emu slams into him hard enough to make Parad gasp out his name, hands frantic as they rake down Emu's shoulders and back before slipping his arms around Emu's neck.

"Yours," Emu echoes with a choked growl, chest heaving as they're covered with blood, sweat and cum. "Yours. Mine. Ours."

They continue to give and take; their antiblood mixing and infecting the other.

Parad moans around a mouthful of blood as Emu takes his legs and pushes them upwards, knees against his chest and Parad whines, gasping as Emu leverages himself against the angle. So _good_. He's bent in half, hands fisted in Emu's hair and his lover is relentless, can tell from the bond that Emu wants to make Parad cum untouched, wants to fuck him through his orgasm until they're both spent and sated. Parad sobs, and it sounds something like Emu's name, desperation clinging to the way his body shakes, ass clenching around Emu's cock, tighter.

"Parad!" His lover sobs out against his neck, fangs digging deeper.

He shudders as he returns the favour. "Emu!"

His body is on fire, tears running down his face. The antigen in his body ignites as more of Emu's antibody flows into him while his antigen does the same for Emu as they continue to devour each other. Pixels shower them as their lips find each other, swallowing down mouthfuls of blood and their echoing cries as the bond bursts into gold.

Parad shudders as Emu continues to thrust inside him, fucking him full of cum through their orgasms. He licks into Emu's mouth, clenching his ass around Emu's cock and keeping him inside. In a daze, he glances down and chuckles weakly when he finds cum splattered across his abdomen, cock still twitching as cum drools out.

"You made a mess outta me," he whispers, voice raspy from screaming.

Emu groans, giving one last thrust before grinding against his ass and staying there. His lover huffs, a fanged grin on his blood covered mouth as Emu collapses on top of him.

"That should be my line," Emu murmurs, fingers brushing away Parad's sweat matted curls away from his forehead before sliding down and cups the fang mark on Parad's neck with a besotted grin. "I love you, Parad."

He returns the grin, reaching out to admire his own fang mark on Emu's neck. "Love you too, Emu."

It will never not be amazing to see that both he and Emu bear each other's mark for all to see. The sight of these marks will always make him deliriously happy; more so when he knows that Emu feels exactly the same way.

They stay as they are for a little while longer, never bothered at their state no matter how much of a mess they are for some reason. Parad thinks it might because of their unique biologies but, whatever the case may be, they doze off on the mat; sated and safe in each other's arms.


	6. Energy

**Summary:**

It may take months— _years_ even, but they're not fighting alone. And together, they'll definitely clear this.

**Notes:**

It's not much, if at all, but this is a very small token of thanks and gratitude to all of the medical personnel / front-liners for their endless, tireless effort in combating against COVID-19. Thank you because honestly, we'd be screwed without any of you.

* * *

**ENERGY**

* * *

Because of his unique biology as Patient Zero, Emu can stay awake a lot longer than most.

And unlike most humans, Emu has discovered over the years that he doesn't need to sleep or rest as much compared to others. It helped a lot whenever he wants to finish his games or study back in medical school.

However, considering the state of the world at the moment, he's especially grateful for that part of his biology since he can continue helping patients a great deal longer than others. At least he can give his colleagues a brief respite from their ongoing battle by taking over their shifts when needed especially since they need all the help they can get.

"Easy there, dumbass," Taiga mutters, catching him by the arm when Emu almost stumbled into a door. "You're pushing it."

Emu tries to blink the black spots away from his eyes to no avail. "Taiga-san?"

Although...being awake for 100 hours might be pushing it— even for Patient Zero.

"Obviously," the older doctor sighs as he pushes him into a nearby chair. "I thought your husband's the more reckless one."

Emu smiles at that. "Not married yet."

"Legally," Taiga retorts, rolling his eyes with a faint smirk. "As far as anyone's concerned, you two idiots have been married in almost every way since you co-oped against Cronus all those years ago."

Chuckling, he rests his head against the backrest with a sigh. "I suppose that's true."

Having a permanent bond with someone mentally, spiritually, and biologically? You can't be anything _but_ married.

"How long have you've been awake, Ex-Aid?"

"...100 hours."

"Idiot with a bleeding heart," Taiga grumbles with a curse.

He chuckles, amused. "Now you sound like Nico-chan."

"Emu."

Freezing at the serious tone, he slumps with a sigh. Even after all these years, it's not often that Taiga calls him by his given name. So when it happens, Emu knows that it's not a warning he should ignore.

"I know," he mumbles, turning slightly to look at the patients that have barely decreased in number despite their best efforts. "It's just..."

Taiga sighs, weary and understanding. "Trust me, I know. But you know better, Emu. You'll be a burden to your patients if you don't take care of yourself too." The other Rider raises a pointed brow at him. "Or did you forget what you and Brave taught me when I went after Cronus?"

"No," he says with a shake of his head. "I remember."

"Good. Now, call that husband of yours." Taiga rubs a hand to his face. "Since he's impossibly even _more_ reckless than you, I'm assuming the dumbass's been awake longer too."

"For a week now," Emu admits with a grimace, gently nudging the bond he shares with Parad.

"...Not even Poppy can be awake for that long, and she's a bugster too," Taiga points out in disbelief. "And that's not adding to the fact that he's a literal front-liner."

Smiling sheepishly at his friend, Emu gives a weak shrug at Taiga's deadpanned glare. "Perks of being the Progenitor, I guess?"

"You two deserve each other," Taiga grouses, pinching the bridge of his nose. "A pair of Genius Gamer Dumbasses."

Emu can only laugh weakly at that.

"That's mean, Snipe," Parad suddenly speaks up from behind them, causing him and Taiga to jump slightly in surprise.

The stern glare Taiga sends to Parad could burn steel right through. "But undeniable."

"...fair," Parad mutters petulantly, shuffling over to hug Emu from behind. His bugster then gives Emu a once over before his lips tug up into a chastened smile. "Snipe's right though. I think it's time for us to take a break."

Emu blinks, heart lurching in seeing how pale and _exhausted_ his lover (husband?) is, which is no easy feat considering how powerful Parad is. And if even the Progenitor is _this_ tired then, Emu can't even imagine how _he_ must look.

Without warning, Taiga rests his hands on top his and Parad's heads, causing them to look up at the older doctor in confusion.

"Go and rest, you two." Flicking him and Parad on their foreheads and causing them to yelp, Taiga snorts. "We'll handle things just fine until you're both ready to come back. Understand?"

Sharing a sheepish look, he and Parad nod at their friend. "Crystal."

"An hour, at _least_," Taiga warns sternly before marching away with a snap of his coat. "Or I _will_ sic Nico on you dumbasses."

Emu shudders in Parad's arms while his lover whines around his shoulders as he calls out. "Snipe is a big fat scary meanie!"

Without looking back, Taiga throws them a wave before disappearing down the hall.

Chuckling, he reaches for Parad and grasps long fingers into his own before raising it to brush a kiss to the knuckles. Parad sighs and threads their fingers together, turning to murmur against his temple.

"Let's go, sweetheart."

He nods. "Yeah."

Since they're both on their last legs, he and Parad combine their powers to joint teleport out of the waiting room and into the sleeping quarters within CR. With practiced ease, he wraps his arms around Parad's neck as his bugster scoops him up and carries him into one of the beds. Tumbling down, they shed their coats and shoes with a flash of pixels before maneuvering themselves under the covers.

Reeling his lover into his arms, Emu buries his nose to Parad's curls as long arms wound around his back. "When's the last time we ate?"

"Dunno," Parad murmurs into his neck. "Two days ago, maybe?"

He snorts. "If it weren't for our powers and biologies, we would've passed out by now."

"Yep." Sighing, the bugster kisses his collarbone. "Can't say I'm hungry though."

Brushing kisses to Parad's forehead, Emu nods with a sigh. "Too wired, huh?"

"Yeah."

"Still need something in our system though or we'll really shut down at this rate."

Parad hums, raising his head to blink blearily up at him. "Wanna try something?"

"What?"

Parad taps his neck. "Our antiblood. It might be able to act as a substitute to food for us."

For a long moment, Emu stares blankly in confusion before his sluggish brain finally catches onto what Parad's suggesting. Abruptly, Emu remembers when he first found out about Parad's fangs and how much of an effect their bitings have on one another.

"Oh." Licking his lips, Emu makes a thoughtful sound. "Yes, that might work."

Smiling sleepily up at him, Parad leans closer to his neck before Emu stops him with a finger to those impish lips.

"Wait." When his lover tilts his head with a pout, Emu taps his mouth with a smile. "Kiss me first."

Immediately lighting up, Parad eagerly meets him halfway to slot their mouths together. Breathing out a laugh into Parad's mouth, Emu presses in closer to deepen the kiss. He smiles, running his fingers through soft curls as Parad does the same for him. For a long relaxing moment, they exchange soft, languid kisses and coax each other's fangs out until the sharp points graze their tongues.

Pulling back slightly, he pecks fanged lips and bumps his nose to Parad's. "I've really missed you, Parad."

"Me too, Emu," Parad murmurs against his mouth, thumb brushing against his jaw. "So, so much."

Emu swallows, thinking about the other front-liners who haven't seen or come home to their own loved ones. He's been separated from Parad for only a few days but still he feels the longing as keenly as anything despite their unbreakable connection that reassures him of Parad's presence even when they're apart. Honestly, he can't even imagine the ache of those who aren't as lucky to be with those they love in such a painful, trying time.

Arms tighten around him as Parad buries his face to his neck when his lover catches his thoughts. "We're damn lucky, huh?"

"We are," he agrees, returning the hug just as fiercely. "That's why we need to do our best to clear this."

Parad nods against him. "We will. Just...it might be the toughest, longest thing we'll have to clear."

"No doubt." Tipping Parad's head up, Emu gives his lover a tired, fanged grin. "But we'll definitely clear it."

Mirroring his grin, Parad nuzzles into his palm. "Definitely. Because together—"

"We're invincible," Emu finishes, fond and besotted.

They share a laugh and between one breath into the next, they tilt their heads to then simultaneously sink their fangs into each other. Blood rushes down his throat and Emu sighs in relief as he feel his energy steadily coming back; knowing and reassured from the bond that Parad feels the same. Once they're satisfied, they exchange a brief, bloody kiss before making themselves comfortable.

Parad snuggles close to him with a content purr. "Love you so much, Emu."

"I love you too, Parad." Wrapping an arm around Parad's shoulder, he cradles the back of his lover's head close. "So very much."

Slowly, their breathing evens out before they drift off to sleep; taking a brief respite so that they may regain their strength to fight again.

To fight, save, and win.

It may take months— _years_ even, but they're not fighting alone. And together, they'll definitely clear this.


	7. Fight

**FIGHT**

* * *

Head in his hands, Parad groans low and tries to reign in his powers before he accidentally shatters something because of his throbbing head and aching heart. Again.

There are walls from both ends of the connection as the bond stays deafeningly silent.

Letting out a stream of curses in a multitude of languages, he tips back until he's lying on the hospital's roof and stares up at the cloudy skies above him. Taking a deep breath, he lets it out and tries not gnash his teeth together to avoid cutting opened his lip from the sharper than normal point of his fangs.

"What's the fight about?" A voice questions from above him, making him glance up to find Kagami Haima standing over him with a sympathetic smile. "Between you and Houjou-kun."

He blinks, surprised as he sits up. "How did you...?"

"Your fangs." Kagami-inchou takes an empty spot beside him, carefully sitting down on the ledge with a sigh before giving him a thoughtful glance. "They tend to come out because of strong emotions, don't they?"

"Yeah." Parad ruffles his curls, curious despite himself. "Still, how'd you figured it's because Emu and I are fighting?"

"Even if you have a good hold of your temper, it's clear to anyone that you've been angry throughout the whole day," Kagami-inchou comments, quietly watching the bustling city under them with a small smile. "However, as angry as you are, the only time your fangs would appear is because of Houjou-kun. It's easy to tell since it's rare for the both of you to seriously be angry at one another nowadays."

Clearing his throat, Parad looks away. "Oh."

It's true. Ever since their final battle all those years ago, he and Emu don't get into too many fights. They can't avoid them of course, not with their turbulent history or just life and relationship in general but still. He _hates_ it whenever they fight.

"If you don't mind telling this old man, maybe I can help?" Kagami-inchou offers cheerfully, before proudly pointing to himself. "I _am_ married after all."

Parad snickers and not for the first time, he thinks how lucky Brave is to have Kagami-inchou as his father. Neither he nor Emu have much luck when it comes to fathers. Even after all these years, Parad still regrets not throwing Kiyonaga out of a window at some point in their childhood for Emu. He's grateful though, that Emu found a real father in Hinata Kyoutarou. And as for himself...

_Are you my Michael or my Lucifer, Paradoxum?_

Well, let's just say that the less said about his own father, the better.

"You're not that old, Kagami-inchou," he corrects, smiling more easily around the goofy hospital director before letting out a weary sigh. "Would it be weird if I say that I don't even remember _why_ we're fighting?"

No matter how much he tries, even with his photographic memory, Parad can't for the life of him even remember _why_ he and Emu are fighting. They were just cleaning up after breakfast and arguing about the dishes before it snowballed right into Hell.

Tempers rose. Voices that were more screaming than actual words. Powers destabilizing. Storming out before any irreparable damage could be done.

Just remembering the morning makes his wires cross.

"Not at all." Kagami-inchou pats his knee before giving a sage nod. "It happens a lot when you're in a relationship. Trust me on this one."

Parad harrumps, crossing his arms as he pouts down at his boots.

He's been out of sorts all day, swinging from angry to sad to angry again in trying sort out his feelings and the stress that's been mounting for weeks to a point where he even got irritated enough to accidentally shatter a display window when he was out with the other paramedics. It's a good thing that his powers could give it an instant fix too or he'd have another thing to be annoyed with today.

Ugh.

"I like fighting but not _this_ kind— never this kind." Memories of Chronicle and the people he's hurt, Emu especially, come to the forefront of his mind. Flinching, Parad bites his lip as his shoulders slump. "Never again."

A hand pats his curls and Parad glances down to find Kagami-inchou smiling comfortingly at him. There's no pity or resentment in the man's expression and Parad feels himself relaxing at that. It always confuses him. Despite the fact that he once threatened the man's life, Kagami-inchou was the first amongst the CR doctors to forgive and accept him into the fold. Parad's grateful though even if he still doesn't understand why.

"It'll never be like that anymore, Parad-kun, so don't be afraid to clash time to time. It's how people grow." Kagami-inchou pulls his hand back to then grasp his shoulder. "What matters is what you do _after_ a fight— how to mend and be better."

Parad slumps, trying not let out a whine and failing. "I know."

"What do the two of you usually do to make up?" Kagami-inchou asks around a fond chuckle.

Parad shrugs. "Give each other time and space to cool down then, we sit down to talk." Wincing, he tugs a curl when he recalls another factor why he's stressed out all day. "Although, I guess it's a bit hard to do that right now since..."

"Ah, yes." The director cradles his chin with a hum. "We _have_ been inordinately busy these past few months— especially in preparing to welcome back the Vanished."

He pinches the bridge of his nose, nodding with a sigh. "Yeah."

Shit. Now that he thinks about it, even if he still can't remember what started their fight at breakfast, Parad figures he can at least pinpoint what the factors that played a part _in_ it though. Extra work means less time together and considering what the work's about this time, Parad supposed that he shouldn't be surprised that he and Emu would be more wound up because of their direct involvement.

"Today and tomorrow; take the day off," Kagami-inchou suddenly orders, causing him to gape at the man. Then, the director shifts his gaze to somewhere behind him and states firmly. "_Both_ of you."

Swiveling so quickly in place in a way that would've caused a human whiplash, Parad blinks in surprise to find Emu and Brave standing right behind him. Wow. He must be _really_ out of it if he couldn't sense Emu so close to him.

He stands up and makes his way to the two Riders, about to reach out to Emu when the doctor walks closer to him but hesitates when he's not sure if it'll be welcomed. So he stops halfway and gives his lover a shaky smile. "Emu."

"Parad." The smile he gets in return is just as shaky before Emu yelps in surprise when he's suddenly shoved right into Parad's arms. Parad clutches his human close to him before they both turn to look at Brave. "H-Hiiro-san?"

The surgeon gives them an exasperated look before addressing Emu with a huff. "As I am your friend and Secondary, this shouldn't have come as a surprise for you, Paediatrician." Leveling them with an unimpressed glare, Brave gestures to them. "Besides, I firmly believe that married couples should rest and get better _together."_

"Not married yet," they quip automatically, cheeky in the familiar response.

"My point still stands," Brave deadpans, brow raised. With a sigh, Brave turns to Kagami-inchou as the director comes up to stand beside his son. "Since we still need to prepare for the meeting, we best get going, Oyaji."

The look exchanged by father and son tips him off that the two men had planned this. Yup, both he and Emu must be _really_ out of it if neither of them saw an intervention coming.

"That we should," Kagami-inchou cheerfully agrees before the director gives them a stern look to accompany a cheery wave. "Take care now, you two!"

Sending them an identical look and nod, Brave follows after his father with a swish of his white coat.

For a moment, he and Emu can only gape after the father and son pair before turning their attention to each other. Now left alone, Parad winces when he takes in Emu's disheveled appearance and tired eyes, and wonders if he looks much the same.

From the grimace Emu's sporting, Parad thinks that he is.

Crap. They're a right mess.

"I'm sorry."

They blink at the unison apology before Parad snorts and then they're holding onto each other as they burst out laughing. It's not exactly something funny to laugh at but Parad thinks that it's more out of relief in being near each other again after a whole day of avoiding each other; both physically and psychically. It's damn exhausting.

The bond pulses before warmth floods it, chasing away the stone cold silence as their walls disappear into nothing.

"You know I love you, right?" Emu asks around faint chuckles, cupping his cheek with a fond smile. "More than anyone or anything in my life."

"I know." Nuzzling into Emu's hand, he presses his forehead against Emu's. "I love you too. So much."

Emu steps close to wrap his arms around his neck, reeling him into a tight hug. "I guess we've both been a bit too stressed out lately."

"And not in a good way too," he grumbles out, returning the hug and rests his cheek on top of Emu's hair. "Usually we'd get horny if we're too stressed."

Emu laughs into his neck, fangs grazing his throat. "I supposed we were too worried for that this time."

"Guess so." Reluctantly pulling back, he brushes Emu's bangs away from tired eyes that reflect his own. "I hate it when we fight."

"Me too." Emu takes his hand to kiss his palm before leaning into it with a content sigh. "We've done that enough to last us several lifetimes already."

Parad snorts, thumb brushing against a cheekbone. "That's an understatement."

For a long moment, they don't say anything and instead just taking in each other. They haven't seen one another since breakfast and considering how slow the day went, it felt like ages. Finally, Emu takes his hand and squeezes, head tilting to the ledge of the roof as the late afternoon wind ruffles dark hair. It strikes him how breathtaking Emu is even as tired as he looks.

"Let's go sit down and talk," Emu murmurs, the smile reaching his eyes for the first time since breakfast.

Parad nods, returning the smile. "Sure."

"But after that though." Plopping down on the ledge, Emu sends him a playful grin. "Ice cream and games?"

With a laugh and a lighter heart, he drops down beside his lover and kicks his legs against the ledge.

"I thought you'd never ask." Parad shifts and reaches out a tentative hand to wrap his fingers around Emu's. "Kiss me?"

Dark eyes soften, bright with love and warmth. "That, you never need to ask."

Their lips meet together halfway, comforted by the familiar taste of love and home as the tension bleeds out of them. Warm fingers twine into his curls as his arms wrap around Emu's waist until the doctor settles comfortably onto his lap. Lips, tongues and fangs meet long and slow and languorous as they sigh when the deadly sharpness of their fangs dull into the more familiar grazing points; taking their time in exchanging blood-stained kisses between them.

When they pull back, they share a laugh with foreheads touching and the bond humming comfortingly between them as they hold each other close.

They'll be okay.


End file.
